Expressional difference, distributions of TGF-β1 in TGF-β1 knock down transgenic mouse, and its possible roles in injured spinal cord

Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is a multi-functional cytokine implicated in many aspects of mammalian wound healing and scar tissue formation. However, few experiments have so far addressed the potential biological effects of TGF-β1 in the nervous system after injury, in addition to the immune system. In the present study, expressional silencing TGF-β1 was achieved by selecting predesigning hairpins targeting mouse TGF-β1 genes. Four homozygous transgenic offspring were generated and designed as Founder 90, Founder 12, Founder 41 and Founder 46. The down-regulated rates of TGF-β1 in different transgenic mice were also determined. To investigate the potential roles of TGF-β1, we observed changes in the neurological behavior of TGF-β1-knockdown (TGF-β1-kd) mice after spinal cord transection (SCT). Moreover, mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, NF-κB and TNF, were also detected in nucleate cells from blood by real-time PCR. Consequently, different TGF-β1 expressions wer...